Mets Claim Mike Baxter

The Padres announced that the Mets claimed outfielder/first baseman Mike Baxter off of waivers. The Padres also officially announced that they have recalled Kyle Blanks from Triple-A (as Tim Dierkes reported yesterday) and optioned Anthony Rizzo to Tucson.

Baxter, 26, had been rehabbing from a stint on the 60-day DL at Class A. The Padres placed him on the disabled list in March after he underwent surgery to repair a torn left thumb ligament. The Queens native has a .278/.349/.423 line in parts of seven seasons in the Padres' system. The former fourth round pick had 18 homers with a .301/.382/.517 line at Triple-A last year, when current Mets executive Paul DePodesta worked for the Padres.